Mercury vapor condenser and steam generator



July 18, 1933. c, 5 LUCKE 1,919,029

MERCURY VAPOR CONDENSER AND STEAM GENERATOR Filed July 9, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l g M d d 1 ii; L J L-;- gu

' 15 3 15 INVENTOR M 9- Am ATTORNEYS July 18, 1933. c. E. LUCKE MERCURY VAPOR CONDENSER AND STEAM GENERATOR Filed July 9, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 mNVgNTgR I,

BY r /M ATTORNEY- July 18, 1933. c, L c 1,919,029

MERCURY VAPOR CONDENSER AND STEAM GENERATOR F1573 Fig/4' Fig/oi F5 14- L I 1 T t 1 Q J g/J/J/ D 7 C573 fiuzd wte ATTORNEYS Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. LUCKE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BABCOCK & WI'L-COX COMPANY, OF BAYONNE, JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MERCURY VAPOR CONDENSER AND STEAM GENERATOR Application filed July 9,

This invention relates to a device into which mercury vapor or vapor from other high boiling point liquids is introduced and is condensed by passing .the same along the outside of tubes through which water is passed and steam is generated.

In the constructit'm otsuch devices as constitute the presentv invention, a serious dilliulty is presented by the fact that high pressure exists on one side and low pressure on the other side of headers which connect the tubes. with the result that the customary practice, previous to the present invention. was to increase the thickness of the header plate which, with the. difference in pressures which existed in devices of this kind used for generating steam. resulted in an abnormally thick and expensive header plate for thetubes simply by reason of this being of flat plate form. consequently necessitating thickness to withstand the pressure. This present invention eliminates the. disadvantageous construction where a flat plate is used. by providing a construction in which the'hcadcrs for the tubes are of curved cross section and thus are less expensive and better able to withstand the pressure.

The invention also provides for the sweeping ahead of ilon crmdensable gases contained in the heating vapor and elimination of local circulation.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of an illustrative embodiment of the invention taken along the line l1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1: Fig. is a horixontal section taken along the-line 3 3 of Fig. 2: Fig. 4 is a vertical section along the line 4-4. of Fig. 1 or 2: Fig. 5 is a horizontal section along the line 5-5 of Fig. (5: Fig. (i is a vertical section along the line --6 of Fig. 5: Fig. 7 is a horizontal section. one half of which is taken along the line 7 7 of Fig. 8 and the other half of which is taken along the line 7a7a of Fig. 8. showing another ll'ltitllfiCtlllOll; Fig.8 is a vertical section along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a plan view showing a modification of one of the details 1928. Serial 190,291,439.

taken along the line 9--9 of Fig. 10; Fig. 10 is a side view of Fig.9; Fig. 11 is a view taken along the line 1l11 of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is :rview taken alongythe line 1212 of Fig. 11); and Figs. 13 to 16 are elevations showing modifications.

[ii the drawings reference character 1 indicates a cylindrical shell or casing of the mercury condenser that is provided with a conical upper portion 2. Strengthening ribs 3 may extend across the bottom of the casing and an inlet 4 f r mercury vapors is provided on one ide. small outlet 5 is provided on the other side for uncondensed vapors or gases and may be connected to a suction pump (not shown).

Pairs of headers 7 extend horizontally along the upper portion of the shell 1, some of thcpairs of headers being larger than the others. U tubes 8 connect a header of each pair to the other header of thefpair and an arcuate inlet header 9 is located inthe conical portion 2 with an inlet 10 leading to this header. Pipes 11 extend from the inlet header 9 to one header of each pair 7 and tubes'12 extend from the opposite'end of each of the other headers of each pair to an arcuate outlet header'13 also located in the conical portion 2. An outlet 14 leads from the outlet header 13.

Means are provided in the lower portion of the shell 1 to prevent the vapors from short circuiting across the lower ends of the U- tubcs 8. Forthis purpose, a pool of liquid mercury may be permitted to accumulate in the bottom of the shell withthe bends of the U-tubes extending below the upper surface of the mercury. A drain 16 for the mercury is provided a short distance'above the lower end of the shell 1. In order to prevent the vapors from short cireuiting around the tubes near the ends of the headers 7, filler plates 17 are provided directly below the headers 7 to form dead spaces between the tiller plates and the shell 1. The. upper ends of the plates 17 may be bent outwardly to'form a ledge at the top. upon which the ends of the headers 7 rest so as to be supported and to prevent short circuiti'ng of mercury vapor over the tops of the headers. Mercury vapors enter through the inlet 4 and pass along the outside of the tubes 8 where they are condensed, and the mercury collects in the bottom and is drained out through the drain 16. The air or uncondensed gases are forced forwardly by the mercury vapors and can be drawn off through the exit or outlet 5. The header lengths and spacing of tubes attached to the different headers are such as to offer a decreasing area for mercury vapor at each successive set of tubes with the least area at the last set, from which any non-eondensible gases are removed. Water to be converted into steam enters the inlet header 9 and is distributed to one header of each of the pairs of headers 7 and passes through the-tubes 8 where it receives heat and is converted into steam, the steam passing through the other headers of the pairs 7, thence through the connections 12 to the outlet header 13 and steam outlet 14. The headers 7 can be made to contact with each other. or the slight spaces between the two can be filled with any appropriate material so that the row of headers make a wall alongthe top side of the mercury vapor space. The steam generated in the steam generating elements of the device can be of a considerably high pressure as the tubes and headers can be kept of small sizes and therefore very thick walls will not be required.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the casing 20 isflat along one side and rounded along the opposite side, and is provided with an inlet 21 for the mercury vapors over most of the flat side. The outlet 22 for the uncondensed vapors and gases is located near the center of the device and extends through the top, the same being provided with per- .forations 23 for the uncondensed vapors and gases to escape. A horizontal division plat-e 24 separates the casing or shell into two compartments. Radially disposed vertical division plates 25 extend around the cylindrical outlet 22 so that the vapors will travel as'indicated by arrows in Fig. 5.

A circular water inlet header 26 is located in the compartment above the plate 24 and an inlet 27 is connected thereto. Connections 28 extend from the header 26 to one end of the headers of each pair of horizontally disposed headers 29 near the upper end of the shell or casing 20. Rows of U-shaped tubes 30 connect each header of a pair 29 to the other header of the pair 29. The tubes 30 are closer together near the center of the device than at the outer portions as most clearly indicated in Fig. 5. A circular outlet header 31 is located in the space above the plate 24 and is connected by connections 32 to the other headers of the pairs 29. An outlet pipe 33 is connected to the header 31.

A pool of mercury 34 may be maintained in the lower end of the casing 20 below the outlet 35. The cylindrical outlet 22 and. the

lower ends of the tubes 30 extend below the surface of the mercury pool.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the casing 40 is shaped somewhat similar to that shown in Figs. 5 and 6 with an inlet 41 along one side for mercury vapor. A curved plate 42 with perforations 43 therethrough is located near the other side of the casing or shell and converging partition plates 44 extend from near the inlet 41 to the curved plate 42. An outlet 45 for uncondensed vapors and gases is located on the side opposite the inlet 41.

A horizontal partition plate 46 divides the shell into two compartments. An inlet header 47 extends across the upper compartment and an inlet pipe 48 is connected thereto. Connections 49 extend from the header 47 to one header of each pair of headers 50 located at the upper end of the spaces between the partition plates 44. U-tubes 51 connect the headers of the pairs 50, these tubes being spaced more closely together near the plate 42 than at the entrances between the plates 44. Tubes 52 extend from the other headers of each pair 50 to the outlet header 53 located in the compartment above the plate 46. An outlet 54 is connected to the outlet header 53.

Figs. 9 to 16 show different arrangements for connecting tubes across which the mercury vapors sweep to inlet and outlet headers for the steam generating elements. The inlet and outlet headers 60 and 61 of a pair of headers have inlet and outlet tubes 62 and 63 connected thereto and U-tubes 64 connect these headers to each other. The tubes at one end, as shown at 64... are closer together than the tubes at the other end as shown at 64... The mercury vapors are caused to pass in the direction from the more widely spaced to the less widely spaced tubes.

In the modification shown in Fig. 13. the inlet header 66 s located below the outlet header 67. and the tubes 68 are shaped so that there will be very little it any danger of the mercury vapor short circuiting or becoming pocketed in dead spaces.

In the modification shown in Fig. 14, the arrangement is somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 13. except that a lower header 69 is provided instead of having return bends connecting the lower portions of the tubes 68.

In the modification shown in Fig. 15. inlet headers 70 are provided at the bottom and are connected to upper headers 71 by means of tubes 72.

In the modification shown in Fig. 16, the inlet header 73 at the bottom is connected to the outlet header 74 at the top by means of tubes 75.

In the modification shown in Figs. 9 to 12. the mercury vapors may be caused to pass in a direction approximately parallel to the headers 60 and 61, and in the modifications shown in Figs. 13 to 16, the mercury vapors may be caused to pass across the tubes in a direction transverse to the headers to which the tubes are connected.

In all the arrangements of tubes and headers, the space for the flow of mercury vapor decreases from inlet toward the zone where non-condensible gases are collected and re moved, if present, or where condensation ends.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising, a shell, headers of substantially circular cross section within the shell, return bend tubes connecting headers to provide for the passage of water through said tubes, and a passage through said shell for heating vapors.

2. A device of the character described comprising, a shell, headers of substantially circular cross section within the shell, tubes connecting said headers to provide for the passage of water through said tubes, and a passage through said shell for heating vapors, said passage including means causing non-condensables to be swept through said passage.

3. A device of the character described comprising, a shell, headers of substantially circular cross section within the shell, bent tubes connecting said headers to provide for the passage of water through said tubes, and a passage through said shell for the heating vapors, said passage including means causing non-condensables to be swept through said passage.

4. A device of the character described comprising, a shell, headers of substantially circular cross section within the shell, return bend tubes connecting headers to provide for the passage of water through said tubes, and a passage through said shell for heating vapors, said passage including means causing non-condensables to be swept through said passage.

5. A device of the character described comprising, a shell, headers of substantially circular cross section proximate one end of said shell, tubes connecting said headers to permit the passage of water through said tubes, and a passage through said shell for heat transfer vapors, said passage including guiding means adjacent the tubes to prevent local eddies and thereby sweep the non-condensables through said passage.

6. A device of the character described comprising, a shell. headers of substantially circular cross section proximate one end of said shell, return bend tubes connecting said headers to permit the passage of water through said tubes, and a passage through said shell for heat transfer vapors. said passage including guiding means adjacent the tubes to prevent local eddies and thereby sweep the non-condensables through said passage, one of said means being a condensate seal.

7. A combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising a shell receiving hot mercury vapors, headers of substantially circular cross section within said shell, an'l vertically disposed steam generating U-tubcs connecting said headers and contacted by the hot mercury vapors within the said shell.

8. A combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising a shell receiving hot mercury vapors, headers of substantially circular cross section within said shell, and steam generating tubes connecting said headers and arranged in spaced relation with respect to each other, the said spacing between tubes decreasing in the direction of flow of the mercury vapors thereover.

9. A combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising a shell re ceiving hot mercury uipors, contacting headers of substantially circular cross section in the upper portion of said shell, and steam generating tubes connecting said headers and arranged Within said shell for contact by the hot mercury vapors.

10. A combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising ashell reeeiving hot mercury vapors, headers of substantially circular cross section insaid shell, steam generating tubes connecting said headers and arranged Within said shell for contact by the hot mercury vapors, and means to prevent dead pockets in said shell.

11. A combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising a shell receiving a flow of hot mercury vapors, headers and steam generating tubes connecting said headers and in the path of flow of said hot mercury vapors, said tubes being arranged within said shell to provide a decreasing cross sectional flow area in the direction of flow of said mercury vapors.

12. A combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising a shell receiving a flow of hot mercury vapors, headers of substantially circular cross section in said shell, steam generating tubes connecting said headers and in the path of flow of said hot mercury vapors, and filler plates preventing short circuiting of said vapors around said tubes.

13. A combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising a shell receiving a flow of hot mercury vapors, headers, steam generating tubes connecting said headers and in the path of flow of said mercury vapors, and filler plates preventing short circuiting of vapors around said tubes, said plates supporting said headers.

14. A combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising a shell receiving a flow of hot mercury vapors, headers of substantially circular cross section in said shell. vertically disposed steam generating U-tubes connecting said headers and disposed within the shell in the path of tlow of said mercury vapors. and means to prevent vapors from short circuiting around said tubes.

15. A combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising a shell receiving hot mercury vapors. headers of substantially circular cross section in said shell. and steam generating tubes connecting said headers and in the path of t-hehot mercury vapors. said tubes being spaced in decreasing increments of spacing in the flow area in the direction of travel of the mercury vapor.

to. combined mercury vapor condenser and steam generator comprising a shell receiving hot mercury vapors. headers of sub stantially circular cross section in said shell. and steam generating tubes connecting said headers and disposed in the path of flow of said mercury vapors, said tubes being substantially uniformly spaced across the mer into which the lower portions of said tubes extend.

18. A device. of the character described comprising a shell. a plurality of individual separately \valled headers within said shell, tubes connecting said headers to provide for the passage of tluid through said tubes, a passage. through said shell for heating vapors, said headers being of decreasing capacity in the direction of the zone of cooler gas flow.

CHARLES E. LUCKE. 

